This summer there was a bit of a shift in some of my students’ agendas, and it left a bit of longing in my barn from some of my horses. I totally understand that agendas change, kids lose interest or choose different hobbies, or even life situations just force us out of the barn. But let’s talk a little bit about what your horse has been doing in the meantime.
We all know these horses need constant care, feeding, cleaning and exercise. Horses in full time training get charged accordingly and those horses are fully taken care of by the trainer and staff. But it’s assumed that if your horse is not in full time training then the owner will be able to come out and give that horse the attention they need. Trainers and boarding facilities assume that the owner will treat their own horses with the care and time it takes to really show an animal that they are loved. That they have a purpose, and that purpose is to be a partner to their owner and the owner is a partner to that horse.
What happens when a horse loses that purpose? As herd animals, it does so much for these horses to have companionship. Not only do they physically need to be groomed and bathed a decent amount during a week, but it also does so much for their mental health for them to know they are loved and they have a companion to look for. I wish I could be that person to every one of my 25 horses in the barn, but unfortunately, I also have a job, my family and my own few horses who I make sure get that extra attention. For the horses that pay to be in full time training, I again make sure that I pay someone to treat them individually as their own if I can’t personally be there.
For my students’ horses, I expect those kids to come out and care for their horse as often as they can. The kids who are out there with their ponies three to six times a week have the most content ponies in the barn. They know who their kid is without a doubt, and they are excited to see them every time. The horses that don’t see their riders start to worry, start to create bad habits in themselves, and start to get more upset with their equine neighbors. As equine owners, people need to realize what it’s doing to their horse when they are away for extended periods of time.
As a parent, please know how important it is for you to instill in your child a sense of responsibility in them owning these horses. Please encourage them to come out to the barn even when they don’t think they should, and also please understand that their horse needs them too even when your agenda is too busy. This is an impossible discipline to just leave when life gets too busy because it involves a living animal, but we understand circumstances happen! As much warning as you can give your trainer in advance and just an understanding of how absence affects your horse goes a long way in planning for their future well-being. In between finding new alternatives for these horses, if anyone has extra time to come out and love on some ponies, please let me know! Some of the ponies in this barn could really use it!